Warthog:There are so many things wrong with this. Not with the details in the article, but with the fact that the article was even necessary.

Not everybody is as smart as you. Matter of fact, just the fact that you know how to use the internet, open register a user name, pay for a subscription and post in a forum puts you ahead of 47% of the country in terms of intelligence.

cman:Weaver95: I honestly can't tell if Romney is simply ignorant or if he just doesn't realize what he sounds like to other people....

Ignorance. I cannot fathom any other possibility

well...it COULD be ignorance. after all, the GOP is very anti-intellectual. But consider - Romney has lived almost his entire life in a protected bubble. nobody has ever given him honest feedback on what he sounds like, or how he actually appears to other people. if you worked for Mitt Romney and told him 'dude - stop sounding like a rich asshole' he'd probably just fire you. so everyone around him has probably just let Romney's more offensive commentary just slide. you don't correct a CEO who is on record as enjoying firing people. when you live that sort of lifestyle, you don't learn to appreciate the value people skills. Anyways - fast forward to this campaign and now everything Romney says is being reported. Having never had to stop and actually consider his words before speaking in public...Mitt is having a LOT of problems trying to not sound like an asshole.

In fact, this information validates Mr. Romney's statement. If the plane was at an altitude where insufficient oxygen was present outside, then opening a window would have reduced the oxygen within the plane. Evidently, liberals are unaware that oxygen fuels fire, thus removing the oxygen from the plane would have extinguished any fire present.

Dimensio:In fact, this information validates Mr. Romney's statement. If the plane was at an altitude where insufficient oxygen was present outside, then opening a window would have reduced the oxygen within the plane. Evidently, liberals are unaware that oxygen fuels fire, thus removing the oxygen from the plane would have extinguished any fire present.

At speed, there would be enough oxygen flowing through to fuel the fire

Dimensio:In fact, this information validates Mr. Romney's statement. If the plane was at an altitude where insufficient oxygen was present outside, then opening a window would have reduced the oxygen within the plane. Evidently, liberals are unaware that oxygen fuels fire, thus removing the oxygen from the plane would have extinguished any fire present.

Shadowknight:Headso: I like to make fun of Romney as much as the next lib but were the comments he made done so jokingly or something? I am not familiar with this one...

That's what I'm asking. I know he actually said the words. But I want to hear how he said them. The inflection used, you know? Because I've said things a lot like this in thick sarcasm.

It was an LA Times interview and I don't think there was a video. However, if you look at his quotes in context, it's hard to believe he was being anything but serious:

"I appreciate the fact that she is on the ground, safe and sound. And I don't think she knows just how worried some of us were. When you have a fire in an aircraft, there's no place to go, exactly, there's no - and you can't find any oxygen from outside the aircraft to get in the aircraft, because the windows don't open. I don't know why they don't do that. It's a real problem. So it's very dangerous. And she was choking and rubbing her eyes. Fortunately, there was enough oxygen for the pilot and copilot to make a safe landing in Denver. But she's safe and sound."

No breaks in the paragraph--he mused about the windows not opening and went right back to talking about Anne's situation & the pilots "fortunately" having enough oxygen. I really wanted to believe this was a joke...nobody who's running for office, let alone having actually held a high position in government, should be that clueless. But...there you have it.

This is beginning to look like the tipping point for Romney, especially on the heels of his 47% comment. It's like GWHB being fascinated by a supermarket scanner--proof that he's just that out of touch.

FTFA: At 35,000 ft. (11,000 m), the typical altitude of a commercial jet, the air pressure drops to less than a quarter of its value at sea level, and the outside temperature drops below negative 60 degrees Fahrenheit (negative 51 degrees Celsius), according to The Engineering Toolbox. Exposed to such conditions, you would quickly die.

So if you're up in the air at 35,000 feet and a window blows out, you'll have plenty of oxygen from the mask to breathe until you quickly freeze to death. Or does it take a while for the cabin temperature to change in this scenario? I'm sure there are reams of data out there about this subject.

thismomentinblackhistory:cman: Explosive decompression is not something that pilots like. They tend to, you know, avoid it at all costs

/WATCH MAYDAY, best Air Crash TV show on the tube

The pics you posted yesterday inspired some reading and tube viewing already. It was awesome!Still scratching my head over that Hawaii flight...

What, you mean Aloha Airlines, back in the 80s?

What's so puzzling about it, the interisland airframes take a hell of a beating around here, what with making constant hops of only about an hour or so between the islands, constant exposure to salt air when on the ground...

Dimensio:In fact, this information validates Mr. Romney's statement. If the plane was at an altitude where insufficient oxygen was present outside, then opening a window would have reduced the oxygen within the plane. Evidently, liberals are unaware that oxygen fuels fire, thus removing the oxygen from the plane would have extinguished any fire present.

of course it would also have killed everyone in the plane, but hey - the fire WOULD have gone out. so there's that. which is nice.

Speaking of decompression, I'm continuously amazed that people don't open that emergency door. It seems like a really, really easy way to mess with an airplane. Don't need no bomb, don't need no tools. Just will.

valkore:FTFA: At 35,000 ft. (11,000 m), the typical altitude of a commercial jet, the air pressure drops to less than a quarter of its value at sea level, and the outside temperature drops below negative 60 degrees Fahrenheit (negative 51 degrees Celsius), according to The Engineering Toolbox. Exposed to such conditions, you would quickly die.

So if you're up in the air at 35,000 feet and a window blows out, you'll have plenty of oxygen from the mask to breathe until you quickly freeze to death. Or does it take a while for the cabin temperature to change in this scenario? I'm sure there are reams of data out there about this subject.

When a rapid decompression occurs, pilots immediately dive to below 10,000 feet. Not just because of temperature concerns, but also because those oxygen masks dont last too long. Bellow 10,000 feet is survivable for everyone on the plane

fireclown:Speaking of decompression, I'm continuously amazed that people don't open that emergency door. It seems like a really, really easy way to mess with an airplane. Don't need no bomb, don't need no tools. Just will.

They open inwards. Good luck making that budge while the cabin is pressurized.

valkore:FTFA: At 35,000 ft. (11,000 m), the typical altitude of a commercial jet, the air pressure drops to less than a quarter of its value at sea level, and the outside temperature drops below negative 60 degrees Fahrenheit (negative 51 degrees Celsius), according to The Engineering Toolbox. Exposed to such conditions, you would quickly die.

So if you're up in the air at 35,000 feet and a window blows out, you'll have plenty of oxygen from the mask to breathe until you quickly freeze to death. Or does it take a while for the cabin temperature to change in this scenario? I'm sure there are reams of data out there about this subject.

at what altitude did the flying fortresses fly? I remember reading stories about gunners, after their little bubbles were bursted, having their blood freeze while it fell from their body to the floor. and they survived somehow.

although, that was probably more than 15,000 feet lower. man, being a gunner in a bomber sounded like a really shiatty job.

fireclown:Speaking of decompression, I'm continuously amazed that people don't open that emergency door. It seems like a really, really easy way to mess with an airplane. Don't need no bomb, don't need no tools. Just will.

It is impossible to open a door at 32,000 feet with cruising speed. To open a door midflight pilots have to slow down quite a bit.

threedingers:Shadowknight: Headso: I like to make fun of Romney as much as the next lib but were the comments he made done so jokingly or something? I am not familiar with this one...

That's what I'm asking. I know he actually said the words. But I want to hear how he said them. The inflection used, you know? Because I've said things a lot like this in thick sarcasm.

Yeah, he was attempting to make a joke. About a potentially life threatening situation that his wife was in, and done so in his typically awkward, uncomfortable manner, but a joke nonetheless.

The wording of his statement was poor, if his statement was intended to be humourous. Additionally, I have been informed by a Utah resident (who himself is a non-Mormon but who has observed many Mormons in the area) that the Mormon church typically frowns upon levity derived from tragic or near-tragic occurrences. Whether his report is accurate, and whether Mr. Romney would abide by such a policy should one exist, I cannot say.

Shadowknight:I have only read the quote, and never actually saw a video of Romney saying this. So, was he saying it humorously or sarcastically? Because even I would have done that. Or did he mean it sincerely?

Because with the other idiocy going on into the Rmoney camp lately, it could really go any which way.

As people pointed out yesterday, do you talk about being afraid for your wife's life one second, then make joke about it the next?

brigid_fitch:Shadowknight: Headso: I like to make fun of Romney as much as the next lib but were the comments he made done so jokingly or something? I am not familiar with this one...

That's what I'm asking. I know he actually said the words. But I want to hear how he said them. The inflection used, you know? Because I've said things a lot like this in thick sarcasm.

It was an LA Times interview and I don't think there was a video. However, if you look at his quotes in context, it's hard to believe he was being anything but serious:

"I appreciate the fact that she is on the ground, safe and sound. And I don't think she knows just how worried some of us were. When you have a fire in an aircraft, there's no place to go, exactly, there's no - and you can't find any oxygen from outside the aircraft to get in the aircraft, because the windows don't open. I don't know why they don't do that. It's a real problem. So it's very dangerous. And she was choking and rubbing her eyes. Fortunately, there was enough oxygen for the pilot and copilot to make a safe landing in Denver. But she's safe and sound."

No breaks in the paragraph--he mused about the windows not opening and went right back to talking about Anne's situation & the pilots "fortunately" having enough oxygen. I really wanted to believe this was a joke...nobody who's running for office, let alone having actually held a high position in government, should be that clueless. But...there you have it.

This is beginning to look like the tipping point for Romney, especially on the heels of his 47% comment. It's like GWHB being fascinated by a supermarket scanner--proof that he's just that out of touch.

fireclown:Speaking of decompression, I'm continuously amazed that people don't open that emergency door. It seems like a really, really easy way to mess with an airplane. Don't need no bomb, don't need no tools. Just will.

How easily will an emergency exit door open during normal flight speed and at normal flight altitude?

Free_Chilly_Willy:I have never seen the main stream media act in such a blatant and hostile way to a Presidential canindate.

Yes, Romney had a slip of the brain when saying that windows should be able to lower on airplanes, but the constant hammering the media is doing with regard to this comment is sickening.

Where is the media on the administration's failure to fix the economy, its capitulation to Iran on nuclear weapons, its failure to secure a proper democracy for Egypt?

this must be very difficult for you, watching Romney slowly destroyed by his own words. I know, I know...you wanted to believe that Mitt was the golden child sent to save the Republican party's legislative agenda. But he's not a very good candidate. he's unfocused and out of touch, stumbling from gaffe to gaffe and spending time and money fixing his own mistakes rather than pushing forward against Obama. The GOP backed the wrong horse on this one...but you can console yourself by knowing that Romney WAS the best your party had to offer. everyone else would have been much, much worse.

you can try again in 2016. maybe by then you'll have someone ready for a decent campaign attempt.

valkore:FTFA: At 35,000 ft. (11,000 m), the typical altitude of a commercial jet, the air pressure drops to less than a quarter of its value at sea level, and the outside temperature drops below negative 60 degrees Fahrenheit (negative 51 degrees Celsius), according to The Engineering Toolbox. Exposed to such conditions, you would quickly die.

So if you're up in the air at 35,000 feet and a window blows out, you'll have plenty of oxygen from the mask to breathe until you quickly freeze to death. Or does it take a while for the cabin temperature to change in this scenario? I'm sure there are reams of data out there about this subject.

Hypoxia is the real killer at 35,000 feet. Your body can stand the pressure change, and you can wear warm clothing to stand the cold. The P-51 Mustang was a prop driven aircraft, no pressurized cabin, and it had a service ceiling of 41,900 feet, Pilots wore oxygen masks. The thin air within the cabin was also heated. Even without pressure, you could heat air within the cabin.